C(X)-6 VSTOL/ STOL projects

[hesham]

Anther configuration to NA CX-6.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a307255.pdf

 

[LowObservable]

This is an interesting story, because it reflects another effect of the Johnson-McConnell agreement of 1966: AF fixed-wing, army helicopters.

It seems that after Johnson-McConnell, the USAF rapidly lost interest in anything smaller/shorter-field than the C-130, ditching the Caribou, leaving the Army to fend for itself and eliminating a DoD market for anything ultra-STOL/VTOL that wasn't rotary-wing. So aside from a few special-ops-driven ventures (Scaled Grizzly/ATTT, Boeing SuperFrog and LMSW's fan-in-wing studies) all the $ has gone into tilt-rotor because it was (a) Army-legal and (b) VTOL-biased and hence Marine-compatible.

A Breguet 941-type aircraft, or even the Buffalo, might have been (might still be) a very useful asset for all kinds of operations.

 

[taildragger]

The market smaller-than-Hercules market didn't entirely disappear. The C-23 Sherpa and C-27 Spartan were examples. The former, developed from the Shorts 360, was, if I recall correctly, purchased to serve USAF logistics requirements within Europe. I believe that it was retired before serving very long.
The Lockheed Martin C-27, developed from the Aeritalia G-222, was purchased by the Army to support Middle East operations not adequately served by the USAF. Predictably, the USAF objected and absorbed the entire fleet. Before long they were declared surplus, transferred to the Afghan Air Force and parked. After a few years of ownership by the Afghans and very little use, the DoD hired a contractor to scrap them on site.
Apparently the series of decisions that led to the acquisition, abandonment and scrapping of a fleet of new aircraft was sufficiently dispersed within the USAF that no one was prosecuted.

 

[Hood]

Don't forget the original ten C-27A Spartans acquired in 1990. I think they were mainly acquired for use in Central America, Panama specifically.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

The aircraft that went to the Afghan Air Force were refurbished Italian Air Force G.222s - 16 of them I believe with 20 supposedly contracted for. Some references then call the aircraft C-27As so not too sure what they really should be referenced as.

There were 10 G.222s purchased and called C-27As with all being based at Howard AFB in Panama. Remember seeing a few at AMARC back in the mid '90s.

Then there were the C-27Js originally meant to go to the Army but redirected to the USAF when they made the claim that their use by the Army overstepped the Army's defined limits. Maybe Yasotay could add some clarity to that. Those were going to Army National Guard units (Oklahoma City for one - talked to a crew flying their Sherpa who were scheduled to take training on them prior to their introduction) but then they were taken over by the USAF who then went on to mothball them due supposedly to budget cuts. There was some talk about some of them (8?) going to the U.S. Forest Service to be converted into fire bombers though that seems to have faded away. Instead, they went to SOC and the the U.S. Coast Guard. I saw a couple of the C-27Js in USAF gray but with USCG markings earlier this summer when they came up this way to dodge the hurricane. Also saw some in USCG colors at Sacramento, CA in June 2017.

The Sherpas went to a number of Army National Guards unit. Not sure any of them are still in service. A number of these were sold to civilian operators and others transferred to the U.S. Forest Service and are used for smoke jumpers and cargo - saw one fresh from overhaul at Kingman, AZ in June of 2017.

HTH! Mark

 

[gral_rj]

The Brazilian Army got a few ex-ANG Sherpas(last year, IIRC). I don't think any of the Sherpas are in ANG service anymore.

 

[LowObservable]

I believe that the original C-23A Sherpas were part of an offset deal (not sure for what) at a point where keeping jobs in Northern Ireland was a priority. The F100 engine was still showing its **** in service at the time, and the Sherpas helped manage the inventory by delivering serviceable engines in a hurry. What they weren't intended to do was battlefield transport.

 

[hesham]

The Ryan CX-6A Proposal;

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19650809/28/2

The whole pages,just I want to check it was a Ryan proposal or from anther company,because it
looks like NAA concept ?.

 

[hesham]

From AW 1965,

I don't know if this Hughes H-485 (or a variant from it) was involved in this contender or not ?.

 

[hesham]

From American Aviation 1965/66,

I think that,someone sent it before.